FMP, Contextual Research - Amanda Lucier’s Female Ranchers

In relation to my previous post, I recently discovered the work of Amanda Lucier through her series Women Ranchers published by the New York Times. I was very interested to learn about the changing demographics in ranch ownership in the US, and Amanda’s images are incredibly successful in showcasing the demanding work that these women do. Amanda also has an ongoing project documenting 4-H Fairs. 4-H is a youth organization that operates across the United States but is most prevalent in agricultural regions. Each year, young 4-H members care for livestock such as pigs, goats, and sheep, in anticipation for the summer fairs, at which the animals are judged. Many of the young people I have met whilst creating my work also participate in this program. As the population of young people living in rural areas continues to decrease, I believe that it is important to document this increasing uncommon childhood experience.

I contacted Amanda to express my appreciation of my work, and discovered that she also lives in Portland. I was fortunate to meet her in person and we discussed her work as a photojournalist. As I feel my work is moving in an editorial direction, I greatly appreciated her sharing her knowledge of this photographic field, and am grateful to have her as a local contact.